Two months quietly slipped by. Shen Xuan's wounds had healed, his thin body was recovering faster than expected under Elder Du's care. But while his body regained its strength, his mind still carried shadows trauma etched too deeply for a five-year-old child. He spoke little, never smiled, yet he was no longer the trembling boy abandoned in the rain.
One afternoon, when Elder Du had gone into the forest to hunt, the silence of the small house was broken by the creak of the wooden door. A girl, no older than nine, stepped inside.
She looked like a young fairy descended into the mortal world. Her bright blue eyes sparkled like gems, her long hair the same shade, tied neatly with a ribbon. She wore a white dress trimmed with faint blue patterns, the kind usually worn by disciples of great sects. Though still a child, her features carried an ethereal charm that promised stunning beauty in the years to come.
This girl was Du Yaoyao, Elder Du's granddaughter. Her father had vanished years ago, leaving behind nothing but a note: "Father, take care of my daughter. I will return soon." But he had never returned. Since then, Yaoyao had grown up under Elder Du's protection.
The moment she entered, she froze. At the small wooden table sat a boy, no older than five, quietly eating his meal. His thin frame, pale face, and calm demeanor made her instantly curious.
Yaoyao skipped closer, her eyes sparkling with interest. This was the first time she had ever seen another child in this remote home. But what surprised her was his complete lack of reaction. Shen Xuan didn't look up, didn't even acknowledge her presence. He simply continued eating as though nothing had changed.
Her lips curled in a pout. Ignored…? Me?
It was the first time someone ignored her,
Yaoyao was the pride of her generation, blessed with Heavenly Dual Roots of Fire and Ice a rarity among king sects or even Emperor sects . Though her spiritual roots had yet to awaken, she had already been accepted into the King's Sect, personally chosen by its leader. All her life, she had been admired and praised, never once dismissed.
And now, a mere five-year-old boy had ignored her completely.
Suppressing her anger, she leaned closer and asked,
"Little kid, what's your name? Where did you come from?"
Shen Xuan didn't answer. He simply placed the last bite of food into his mouth and lowered his gaze, as though her words were carried away by the wind.
Yaoyao's cheeks puffed with frustration. For the first time in her life, she felt both annoyed… and oddly angered. She also felt it was funny that she was ignored by a little kid.
Just as Yaoyao tried once again to pull a response out of Shen Xuan, the sound of the door creaking open echoed through the small house.
"Grandpa!"
Her bright eyes lit up as she dashed forward, throwing herself into the arms of the old man who had just returned from the hunt. Elder Du staggered a little from the sudden impact, then laughed warmly, hugging his granddaughter tightly.
"Yaoyao…! You… you came here?" His voice trembled with both surprise and joy. He gently patted her head, his eyes moistening. "How did you get here? And who brought you all the way? This place is so far from your sect…"
Yaoyao clung to him, burying her little face into his chest. "I missed you, Grandpa. The sect feels so dull… no one cooks like you."
Elder Du chuckled heartily, his heart swelling. It had been so long since he had held his granddaughter in his arms. For a man who had lost his son and been left alone for years, her sudden appearance felt like a blessing from the heavens.
"Alright, alright," he said, rubbing her head affectionately. "Since you're here, Grandpa will make you something special. How about your favorite fried meat?"
Yaoyao's eyes brightened, and she nodded quickly. "Yes! Please, Grandpa. I've missed it so much. In the sect, no matter how grand the feasts, they don't taste like your cooking."
Elder Du burst into laughter, stroking his beard. "Haha, then wait just a little. I'll make sure it's even better than before!"
As he turned to prepare the meal, Yaoyao's gaze drifted back to the quiet boy at the table. Her cheerful expression dimmed slightly. She pointed at Shen Xuan and asked in a small, curious voice, "Grandpa… who is this little kid? He doesn't even speak. He just keeps ignoring me."
Her tone carried a hint of frustration mixed with annoyance.
Elder Du paused for a moment, then sighed deeply. His hand, which had been reaching for a knife, froze midair. His eyes softened as he glanced at the boy sitting silently, his gaze distant, like a soul lost in some unreachable place.
"This child…" Elder Du murmured, almost to himself, "…he has suffered more than you can imagine."
Elder Du soon returned from the small kitchen, his hands carrying a tray of steaming dishes. The fragrance of roasted meat filled the room, instantly making Yaoyao's eyes lit up.
"Come, sit," Elder Du said warmly, setting the plates onto the old wooden table. He motioned for both children to take their seats.
Yaoyao needed no second invitation. She sat eagerly, her chopsticks moving faster than her words. "Grandpa! This tastes even better than before!" She beamed, chewing like a hungry little wolf.
Shen Xuan, on the other hand, sat quietly. He picked up only a small portion, chewing slowly and silently. He wasn't eating because of hunger—it was more like he was forcing himself to swallow.
Across the table, Elder Du's expression softened as he carefully placed a piece of meat on Yaoyao's plate. "Eat slowly, child, or you'll choke." His tone carried warmth and patience.
Yaoyao giggled, stuffing her cheeks even more. "Grandpa, you always say that, but I never choke!"
Her laughter echoed gently through the room. To her, this was nothing more than a moment of joy—a child enjoying food with her beloved grandfather.
But across the table, Shen Xuan's dark eyes quietly observed everything. The warmth. The laughter. The sight of an old man gently feeding his granddaughter with care. His small hands trembled slightly as he gripped his chopsticks.
A strange heaviness filled his chest.
Mother! He thought of his mother as he observe them.
This thought came sudden, piercing his young heart like a knife. Memories of cold gazes, rain-soaked nights, his father betrayal and the sound of a door shutting on him replayed in his mind. His vision blurred. He quickly placed his chopsticks down, his eyes reddening.
Before Elder Du could notice, Shen Xuan stood abruptly, his small figure retreating into the dim corridor. He disappeared into his room without saying a word.
Yaoyao blinked, confused. "Grandpa… did I say something wrong?"
Elder Du sighed deeply, his hand momentarily frozen on the bowl he had been serving. He looked at his granddaughter's innocent face, then at the door Shen Xuan had left through.
"No," Elder Du whispered, his tone heavy with sorrow. "That boy… he carries wounds deeper than you can imagine."
Yaoyao's brows furrowed. She lowered her chopsticks. "What do you mean, Grandpa?"
For a long moment, Elder Du remained silent, as if considering whether or not to speak. Finally, with a weary sigh, he began to tell her everything he knew the boy drenched in blood, his parents death in front of his own eyes, trembling in despair. He spoke of the injuries, the loneliness, the unspoken pain carved into Shen Xuan's small body.
By the time Elder Du finished, Yaoyao sat frozen. Her bright blue eyes were wide with disbelief. "A five-year-old child… went through that?"
Her heart ache by just thinking about it. Though she herself had never seen her parents, she at least knew they were alive somewhere. She had her grandfather's love. But Shen Xuan… his parents had died before his very eyes.
The thought made her tiny fists tremble. It was too cruel, too brutal.
"Grandpa…" she whispered, "No wonder he doesn't smile…"
Elder Du nodded heavily. Neither of them realized that the truth was even darker than what they had guessed truth that, if revealed, would shake their souls to the core.
(Copyright © 2025 Aliyan. All rights reserved.)